书呆子 is mildly derogatory, implying someone is smart with books but socially awkward or impractical. It's similar to English 'bookworm' or 'nerd' but with more emphasis on lacking real-world skills.
culture
In Chinese culture, studying is highly valued, but being a 书呆子 is seen as going too far — knowing only theory without understanding how the world works. The ideal is 学以致用 (xué yǐ zhì yòng, study for practical application).
